Could the Memphis Grizzlies draft North Carolina star Caleb Wilson?
North Carolina star Caleb Wilson will be one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft and The Athletic's Sam Vecenie has linked the youngster to the Memphis Grizzlies
Vecenie has the Pacers drafting Wilson with the fourth overall pick.
"Wilson missed the final month of the season with a broken right thumb and a broken left hand," Vecenie wrote. "Before that, he averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks and was good in just about every game he played.
"It’s all about power and explosiveness for Wilson. He plays with terrific bend and balance as a driver. Combine that with his strength and leaping ability, and you get a special player who can dominate at the rim. The further into the cycle we get, the more I hear from scouts who see Wilson in the same group as Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer, with some even ranking him as a top-three player in the class. It didn’t hurt Wilson’s case that he outperformed all three of those players when North Carolina played them this season (in Dybantsa’s case, in the preseason, but still).
"Wilson’s flaws are easier to scout than the others’, though. He doesn’t take many 3s (he was just 7-of-27 shooting on the season), although his mechanics looked good from the extended midrange area. Defensively, the block and steal numbers are strong, but he’s not as twitchy on the ball as you’d expect for an athlete of his caliber; plus, he’s messy off the ball with his rotations and with how quickly he reacts. Most of his assists come on pre-ordained reads within structure, rather than when he’s on the move and reacting. But the reality is that few players consistently play with his type of motor and aggressiveness. He has many similarities to Pascal Siakam, who has made multiple All-NBA teams."
Wilson appeared in 24 games for UNC this season. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest while shooting 57.8% from the field, 25.9% from beyond the arc and 71.3% from the free-throw line.
Wilson was named a second-team Associated Press All-American, a distinction that will ensure that he will be included among the honored jerseys in the Smith Center rafters.
It will be intriguing to see where Wilson is playing next season. The Grizzlies are expected to trade All-Star point guard Ja Morant this offseason, but if they keep Morant, Wilson would be a good fit next to Ja.
Along with Morant, the Grizzlies have Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, Ty Jerome and GG Jackson.
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